2012 WorkExcel.com Guest Writer Series

How Managers Can Effectively Persuade And Inspire An Audience To Accept Change Or Deliver Bad News

By Anas Tarsha

Those in managerial or leadership positions will often be called upon to give briefings, inspire staff to accept changes and, unfortunately, deliver bad news.

Any time there is important information to share with your staff; it should be conveyed as soon as reasonably possible. Nothing is worse than having the rumor mill get started and to have misinformation circulate.

So, what are some ways that managers can present information to their staff? It will depend on the type of information that needs to be conveyed. Here are some tips to get your started.

Giving a Briefing

If you need to give a briefing, clearly identify the information that you need to present and deliver it in a factual manner.

Before you start your presentation, welcome your staff and let them know the purpose of the meeting, how long it will last and how/when they can ask questions on the information. Present the information in a straightforward manner and make sure staff has time to ask questions.

Inspiring Staff

If you are called upon to persuade or inspire staff, this is where you can really let your personality shine. You want to uplift your team, convince them to join your cause and give them a call to action.

The best way to get someone on board in the company is to do three things.

• First, make sure it is clear how the action will benefit them. What is in it for them?

• Second, link the action to the larger company goals so they can see how it fits in to the big picture.

• Third, make sure that you give the team a call to action. Tell them, specifically, what you want them to do when they leave the meeting.

Delivering Bad News

If you need to deliver bad news to a team, you need to do it as quickly as possible. Not only is this fair to the employees, but it also cuts any rumor spreading down very quickly. You will want to be clear and direct.

Do not candy coat the situation. You owe it to your team to be factual and honest regarding the situation. At the same time, do not overdramatize the situation, so that it appears bigger than it is.

You also need to convey to your staff that you and other management (if applicable) are taking ownership of the decision.

After you deliver the news, staff may have questions. You should answer the questions. You should also let staff know that you will continue to be available after the session if there are questions. Some staff may not want to ask their question in front of others.

Anas Tarsha invites you to visit his blog for free additional training and resources on public speaking http://SpeakItWithoutFear.com/blog

Anas is an enterprenuer and writes extensively on the subject of public speaking.

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